A Life Lived
by kimmiesjoy
Summary: A collection of family based one shots. First chapter written for CastleFanficMonday.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N:** originally written for the Castlefanfics prompt challenge. Posted for Castle Fanfic Monday.

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"He won't stop crying."

"I know." Castle's eyes flash to hers in panic. "What do we do?"

"I don't know," Kate hisses back, "I think I broke him, Castle, I was not expecting _this_."

On the couch in front of them Esposito hiccups, sucks in a loud, obnoxious breath and wails again, "I'm. So. Happy. For. You. Guys."

He's been crying for the last ten minutes. Since Kate sat him down and explained why she had fled from the precinct this morning. That yes, she's fine. No, there are no complications from the double shooting that has left her team (especially the man in tears between them) hovering around them like mother hens.

It's been sweet, really, if a little suffocating.

He hadn't believed her of course. His eyes flashing between her and her - failing at suppressing the biggest smile ever - husband. They'd barely had time to digest the news themselves before Espo was demanding answers, adding up her symptoms one by one and getting nowhere near eating for two.

"I'm pregnant, you idiot." She'd finally blurted out, laughter following the words as her fingers tripped up to her lips. She'd reached for Castle only to find him already there, a hand dropping low on her back while the other hovered over their baby.

Oblivious to the man in front of them they'd kissed, only to pull apart as the loft was filled with a high pitched whine.

"Javi please, if you stop crying I'll -"

"Kate, don't do it."

Side eyes dart to her husband as she hisses at him again, "I don't know what else to do."

"Not that, we agreed."

"You...guys are gonna have a ..." Waving a hand in front of his face he finds himself lost for words, emotion bright in his eyes and across his now pink cheeks.

"Please, Espo if you -"

"Kate?"

Esposito sniff-snorts and nods, face darting between the two of them. "If I?"

"Stop crying-"

"I'm just so hap-happy for you, Beckett." He shakes his hand, mouthing _I'm okay_ and that she should continue. He sobs again.

"I'll-" She looks up only to find her husbands eyes shining now too. Overcome with emotion he nods. Beckett laughs, suddenly overwhelmed with it herself. "I'll name the baby after you if it's a boy."

The crying ceases immediately and Espo grins, "Excellent, Ryan owes me five bucks."


	2. Chapter 2

"Are you sure you don't mind?" She asks, light in her flats, feet in a pirouette of elegance as she spins to face him. It's pointless, she already knows the answer, can read it in his expression. The daydream. The grin. She laughs, strokes her fingers over his hand and waits. "Really?" Kate tilts into him and his arms rise, hand dropping to the slight swell of her abdomen.

"She's going to be so beautiful." He hums, communion with the universe as he whispers his belief. His eyes have already drifted to that faraway place he visits when planning their future. Not the serious moments but the whimsical, the magic. That's where it resides. And he's there already. "And absolutely deadly." He laughs and she does too, eyes trailing his face, the words he gifts her with, the plans, the images, bringing their child to life. They know between them they will raise her to be strong. Strong in all the broken ways they know how.

Castle touches her cheek when she smiles, presses his thumb to the rise of her lip, "She'll look like you but -" he toys with a suggestion, cheeks flaring red as if he's about to give up a secret he's held dear for a long time, "- maybe with my eyes."

"Definitely your eyes." Kate hears her voice break on words, snag and trip over them as the emotion, the truth, of having a child with this man, hits her all over again. Kate finds herself sighing back, a little too dreamily for midday on the sidewalk.

Castle laughs, sighs too, squeezes her hand and brings her back from her fantasy. He gasps a little when she kisses him right there in front of their doctors office. She's on her tiptoes, ignoring the people that have to sidestep them as they walk by. Stares mean nothing, everything fading out when their lips meet.

She's a little breathless with it when she pulls back, finds herself asking again even with the answer so gut wrenchingly, beautifully obvious.

"Are you sure you don't mind?" Kate blinks, strokes his arm, something in her not wanting him to go far. "Another girl, did you not want - ?"

Her words fade, his eyes lifting from that kiss. Knocked him on his heels a little with that one. She bites her lips, waits him out.

"Did you - want?"

"I don't -" she falters, not sure how to verbalise it. That a first with him that's a first for them both might have been nice, but now with the reality, the pictures forming in her head, somehow this is good? Better?

"Happy and healthy?" He asks and she laughs, tugs his lapels to get him a bit closer.

"Yes, god, Castle. Exactly that." She rises up again, "Happy and healthy."

Her arms come up around his shoulders and she squeezes him for a moment, feeling the tightness, the rightness of his arms around her waist.

"And at least this way she definitely can't be called Javier."

Kate laughs, teases him. "I can always trust you to find the silver lining."

"Kinda thought that was my job, Kate Beckett."

She kisses him hard, heart full, "Definitely why I keep you around."


End file.
